Equality
by MarieofIlledra
Summary: A series of RononTeyla oneshots that just wouldn't leave me alone!
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! Here are a couple of Ronon/Teyla oneshots that have randomly popped into my head. Some are romance, some are simply friendship. Enjoy!**

**Marie**

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The sound of banta sticks echoed rhythmically in the practice room. Teyla and Ronon circled each other warily, sweat gleaming off their skin. They had been sparring for a half an hour and neither had slipped. Ronon made a noise of frustration in the back of his throat as Teyla blocked yet another of his attacks. He retreated three long steps and casually tossed his sticks into a corner.

"Lets try it this way." He challenged, swiftly ducking into a low crouch. Teyla nodded, a slightly triumphant smile flickering briefly across her features. She knew that was as close to admitting defeat as Ronon would go. She mimicked his pose, then feinted slightly to his left.

Ten minutes later, a block left her slightly unbalanced. Ronon saw the opening and took it, sending her body smashing towards the floor, his hand at her throat. For a moment she lay stunned before an exhausted smile crossed her features.

"You have greatly improved at the bantas." She gasped out, still pinned to the floor by one of his large hands.

Ronon smiled ferally. "I had a good teacher. You need to work on your blocks some more."

She nodded in acceptance and he eyed her in approval before springing to his feet and offering her a hand up. She took it, gracefully rising off the mat. "Perhaps we should meet tomorrow and go over them one more time."

"Works for me." Ronon rumbled, striding easily across the space to toss her banta rods in her direction.

She slid them gently into their case. When she looked up, he was standing directly in front of her, an unreadable expression on his face. She smiled in confusion as he met her questioning gaze and moved forward.

"Ronon, my friend, what-" Her voice trailed off as he took yet another step forward. She leaned against the wall behind her as he extended an arm to the wall above her head and loomed over her, suddenly extremely aware of his proximity.

"Nothing," He responded calmly, brushing a shockingly gentle kiss across her lips.

She stared at him in shock. "That did not appear to be nothing." He shrugged.

"Are you sure?" His voice was rougher than usual, and she found that she did not mind their proximity at all.

He leaned closer, and she instinctively tilted her head towards him, waiting for a kiss that didn't come. Her eyes shot back open. His face was filled with amusement. "Are you going to answer my question?"

She shook her head slightly, eyes filled with confusion. He pressed closer, so she was in full contact with both the wall and his body.

"Are you sure?" He repeated. "Because if you really want me to do something, I can always leave." His tone was joking, but his eyes were deadly serious. This was her decision. She smiled brilliantly at him.

"No, I am not sure at all."

The second kiss rapidly gained intensity, both testing the other. It felt as though it were a natural progression- here, as on the sparring mat, they were perfectly matched.

A startled gasp and ensuing loud crash caused them to separate instantly, both of their heads turning towards the door way. An extremely flustered Rodney McKay stood in the door frame, his ever present computer laying just inside the room. Clearly, that was the noise they had heard.

Rodney stared at them nervously. "Um, I was just...just...Sheppard wants you in the control room, and I was supposed to...you took off your ear piece...well, obviously...Sorry, I'll just...I'll just go," He stammered, attempting to back out of the gym but succeeding only in running into the wall.

Ronon strolled casually over and McKay flinched backwards.  
"Are you okay? You seem kind of...twitchy." Behind them, Teyla smothered a laugh. Rodney stared at Ronon as if he were insane.

"You just...and Teyla...kissed..." He stuttered.

Ronon stared at him levelly. "No I didn't."

McKay bristled. "Yes, yes you did! I just saw you." Ronon looked exasperated and suddenly straightened to his full height, looming over McKay's much shorter frame.

"No you didn't."

Rodney staggered backwards, sending Teyla one last desperate glance. "You know what? You are right. I didn't see anything." and with that, Rodney McKay turned and fled for the safety of his lab.

Much later, Teyla and Ronon ran into Rodney in the control room. Teyla shot him a slightly evil grin as she wordlessly handed him the computer he had forgotten in his desperate flee. He turned a nasty shade of purple as Ronon caught his eye and nearly dropped it once again.

Elizabeth put a concerned hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay? You seem..."

Rodney cut her off. "I'm great. I just have to go...somewhere...now."


	2. Chapter 2

"Wow," muttered John in amazement. "Just...wow. I never thought...I actually feel like I am in Star Wars."

Beside him, Rodney nodded. "Mos Eisley..."

Ronon and Teyla exchanged an amused glance. More Earth references. Ronon clapped McKay on the back, hard enough that he let out a brief noise of complaint.

"Welcome to Wayfour. Largest trade center for any and everything black market." He smiled grimly.

John recovered enough to shoot Ronon a questioning stare. "How do you know? The Ancient data base listed this planet as unpopulated."

Rodney's face lit up in recognition. "That's right! And how come the Wraith haven't annihilated it yet?" He gestured at the teeming market before them.

Ronon shrugged. "It moves around a lot. Plus, most people here have more ways off this planet than simply the stargate. The market gets wiped out every once in awhile, but you know how places like this go. It was a good place to restock on weapons while I was running."

Sheppard nodded dazedly before abruptly shaking his head.

"Right. Then we are all going to have to be on high alert out there- lets get in, grab what we came for, and get out again. McKay, leave most of your gadgets here in the jumper and... stay close."

Rodney shook his head. "Oh no. No way am I walking in there without a gun."

John eyed him carefully before handing him a tiny handgun. "Fine, but no shooting at anything. Your aim sucks."

"Thats completely unfair...and untrue! I am improving and, anyway, my value is in my head, not that I can..."

Ronon tuned out his bickering as he turned to Teyla. He frowned slightly.

"Do you have any sort of cloak? Anything that will hide your face and body?" She shook her head. His brows drew together in an expression that she could not recognize.

"I can take care of myself." She reminded him, startled that he needed the prompt. He shook his head dismissively.

"I know that, but the men here see women...differently." He paused, studying the defiant set of her features.

"I am fully capable of defending myself." She repeated, and he reluctantly recognized that asking anything else of her would be an insult to her pride that she would not forgive him for. He nodded reluctantly.

"Then promise to stay close to me or Sheppard."

She nodded slightly. "I will stay with the group."

John, who had been observing the conversation with growing worry, shot Ronon a concerned glance over Teyla's head. Ronon merely met his gaze and stepped far closer to her than he would usually.

John sighed slightly. "Let's get this over with. McKay, stay close to me."

They hadn't gone more than a few feet into the massive crush of humanity when a greasy man shot a rough arm out and grabbed Teyla's arm. She twisted deftly away and shot a triumphant smirk towards Ronon, who still stood far too close for her independent nature. Her grin faded as the man only pressed closer and grabbed onto her arm more firmly. John instantly swung his P-90 up to the man's face. The man sneered and began to gesture towards the shadows behind him, but Ronon stepped between him and the gun, leaning in close.

"She is not for sale." He hissed, silently praying that the team could not hear what he was saying. The greasy man's eyes lit up in recognition and he instantly backed away.

"My apologies, friend. You should better mark your property. Enjoy." He winked and faded back into the crowd.

A shocked splutter clued Ronon into the fact that John had heard that exchange. He grimaced slightly, turning to him reluctantly. He had been hoping to avoid that particular conversation. "That was Carthi, one of the Market Lords. Very powerful, bad to make angry. The only rule of the market is that other people's slaves are off limit. _The only rule_. He had at least twenty men who would have rushed us if I hadn't done that."

John nodded reluctantly. "You know she will kick your ass if she ever finds out?" Ronon nodded. "Then its your funeral, and she already looks pretty pissed."

The next man who stared lecherously at Teyla was much easier to handle. Ronon needed only to stretch to his full height behind her and glare slightly for the man to avert his eyes and scurry off. Lucky for Ronon, Teyla didn't notice his protective gesture. He knew that her independence was important to her, but her safety came first. He turned to glare at McKay, who was snickering at his protective motion. In that moment, a third man got close enough to actually slide an arm around Teyla's waist. Before she could react, Ronon had his gun pressed to the man's shoulder.

"Let her go or lose the arm." He growled, and the man practically threw Teyla towards Ronon as he ran off.

Teyla's eyes flashed dangerously as she turned on Ronon. "As I said, I am perfectly capable of dealing with these men on my own! I do not know why you doubt my abilities to protect myself, but I assure you I am perfectly capable of blocking any unwelcome advances."

Ronon stared back calmly. "But that would involve you touching them."

As she opened her mouth to respond, John decided that it was time to step in.

"Teyla, listen to me. We know that you are perfectly capable of defending yourself. However, that will take time, which is one thing we don't have. Ronon knows how this place works, and we have to trust his judgment. Besides, I get the feeling that if a woman as beautiful as you are decided to kick some random thugs ass, it would draw far more attention than we need."

Teyla nodded in acceptance, breathing deeply to repress her emotions. "I am sorry. Our mission is more important, I know, and this is taking far too long. We have been here for almost half an hour and are still only feet from the jumper. I should not have come on this mission."

Sheppard shook his head and met her gaze squarely. "Don't be stupid, you are a member of my team and I need you here to watch my back. Now there is an easy way to fix this, but you might not like it." He and Rodney turned identical evil grins in Ronon's direction.

He stared levelly back. "Why me?"

"Because McKay here couldn't scare off anyone and I need both hands to shoot." McKay spluttered indignantly.

"Excuse me? I consider myself to be very intimidating, and-" John elbowed him neatly in the ribs and shot him a pointed glare. He sighed in defeat. "I mean, Ronon should do it," He responded tonelessly.

Teyla's eyes were wide with understanding. "I would not want Ronon to feel uncomfortable." She stated calmly.

John grinned. "There, see? Teyla has no problem with it. Now, can we go? I want to get the ZPM and get back to Atlantis as soon as possible. This place gives me the creeps."

Ronon met Teyla's gaze squarely, knowing that he had to make it perfectly clear how much he trusted her and respected her independence. "You are the strongest woman I know, and the only one I would even allow to set foot on this planet." She nodded her thanks.

"Very well, if Ronon has no problem with it, then I suggest we move on. I, too, will be grateful to arrive back home." Ronon draped a casual arm around Teyla's shoulders and shot a pointed stare towards Sheppard.

"Can we go now?"

John repressed a slight smirk. "Yes. We can go," he mocked, "but I refuse to pretend that Rodney and I are together. If anyone asks, I'm selling him."


	3. Chapter 3

**Since Ronon and Teyla are both such independent people, I figure that it would definitely be an issue at one point or another. Since last chapter I put poor Teyla in the position of having to beat down her pride and act as Ronon's possession, I figured it was only fair to reverse the situations...**

**Also, I couldn't resist a little bit of John/Elizabeth. Enjoy!**

**Marie**

Sheppard's laugh rang through the valley as the team made its way from the stargate. "Seriously, Elizabeth, you didn't see it. This huge guy just looms out of no where, clearly seeing nothing but Teyla, and Ronon just bodily picks her up, moves her out of his line of vision, and keeps walking. I have never seen anything funnier in my life! Ronon is either a much better actor than we have given him credit for or he really is harboring a secret love for Tey-" Elizabeth cut him off with a swift jab with her elbow.

"Really, John, its been three weeks since you were at Wayfour, and the whole situation was your idea. Can't you let up on them for one day? Besides, I never get to go on missions, and I have heard that story at least a thousand times."

Teyla shot her a grateful look. It felt strange to be off planet without Rodney, but he had requested a special leave to take Katie to the main land for her birthday, and Elizabeth had volunteered to come along instead. Right now especially the second female presence was indeed a welcome change.

Elizabeth winked back at her, looking much more relaxed away from her office. John pouted briefly, but then brightened. "It doesn't look like there is too much here...no signs of habitation so far. This is a beautiful planet, it would make an excellent Alpha site."

Elizabeth's response was stopped before it began by the sudden appearance of a woman on the path in front of them.

The team drew to a sudden halt, John stepping protectively in front of Dr. Wier. Hands instinctively reached for weapons before realizing that she was unarmed.

The woman bowed respectfully towards Teyla and Elizabeth, her long braid of chestnut hair falling over one shoulder gracefully. She appeared to be wearing a tight fitting outfit made of some sort of reptilian skin. Her voice was melodious and strong when she spoke. "I am Penthisilea, leader of this world. Welcome to Amoza."

Teyla's face lit up in recognition, and she flashed the sign for Ronon and John to follow her lead. Stepping forward, she returned the bow. "I am Teyla Emmogen, leader of the Athosians. This is Dr. Elizabeth Wier, leader of Atlantis." Elizabeth too bowed to the taller woman, who smiled warmly in response.

"It is rare to receive such distinguished visitors. May we offer you food and shelter for the night?"

Teyla nodded and bowed once more. "We would be honored. I have long heard tales of your people."

Penthisilea nodded as well. "Very well. If you will excuse me, I must inform the others to prepare for guests." She vanished into the forest as silently as she had appeared.

Teyla turned to Elizabeth, excitement written across her features. "Penthisilea's people are excellent fighters and well known through out Pegasus. Although they have little technology, they are magnificent fighters. They would be powerful allies."

Elizabeth nodded, her brow wrinkled in thought. "On Earth, there is a legend that reminds me of this place... about a tribe of warrior women known as the Amazons."

John, still standing where they had first halted, over heard that last comment. "You can't be serious. That's just a myth!" He muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.

Elizabeth shot him a wry glance as she and Teyla returned to where the men stood. "I live in the lost city of Atlantis." She pointed out, and he grimaced.

Teyla smiled at Elizabeth's ability to silence her CO with a single sentence. "Actually, Elizabeth is correct. The Amoza are indeed all women. Penthisilea naturally assumed that Elizabeth and I were in charge, for that is there way."

Ronon grunted in disbelief. "No men? Wouldn't they die out?"

Teyla shook her head. "Of course there are men, but the warriors are all women. Their mates cook and raise the children, but are mostly kept around for...breeding purposes."

Both John and Ronon's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Sex slaves? But then that would mean..." John began, looking between Elizabeth and Teyla warily.

Elizabeth favored him with a wicked grin. "Oh yes. Major payback for Wayfour. And, you know, anything else you have done to annoy us." Beside her, Teyla snickered.

John pouted. "You two are truly evil, you know that? You should not allowed to be together, ever. I never thought I would actually miss McKay..." He turned to Ronon, clearly expecting commiseration. Instead, he found a glare.

"I blame you." Ronon announced, clearly unhappy that he would have to play the part of what was basically a slave.

Elizabeth smirked at them both. "Oh, cheer up John. If Rodney _were_ here you would probably end up being _his_ slave!"

"That...that is not even...so wrong..."

Elizabeth ignored his sputtering and turned to Teyla. Her voice was cheerful. "So, which one do you want?"

Both men paled and began backing slowly away. Ronon looked absolutely horrified. What had happened to sweet, gentle Elizabeth who always worried about other people? This new creature was...frightening. Teyla shot Ronon a reassuring glance as Penthisilea returned, followed closely by her mate.

"This is Jacen. He will show your mates where to prepare your rooms and get them ready for the meal." Penthisilea announced, motioning him forward. Teyla nodded her greetings and motioned toward the men.

"This is... Ronon." Teyla introduced. Ronon shot her a relieved glance, a slightly triumphant smile tugging at his lips. John groaned, betrayal radiating from him as he glared at her mournfully.

"Oh sure, leave me with the crazy woman!" He mouthed. Elizabeth's predatory grin widened.

"And this is my mate, John. Go on with Jacen." She shooed, tossing a look of pure glee at Teyla. Teyla smothered the grin that was threatening to break out and turned to Penthisilea.

"Thank you again for your hospitality. If there is time, I would love to see your warriors in training." Penthisilea nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course, of course. First, however, you must bathe and prepare for dinner. You must allow us to provide the proper garments for you- and your mates as well."

Elizabeth nodded in acquiescence. "We would be very grateful."

Teyla and Elizabeth were granted a tour of the Amoza's home, cleverly carved into a mountain in order to remain undetected by the Wraith. Then, they were shown to the hot springs and left to bathe.

As soon as Penthisilea was out of sight, the two friends burst into laughter. "I think you have permanently frightened Ronon." Teyla observed, sliding gracefully into the warm water.

Elizabeth laughed and followed her in. "Yes, well... I can't be stern and in control _all_ of the time. Anyway, he doesn't seem too upset with the whole situation. He seemed _quite_ pleased when you chose him over John... "

Teyla's smile merely widened slightly. "I must admit... such a sentiment would not be... entirely unwelcome."

Elizabeth smirked at her in triumph. "I knew it!"

Teyla flushed slightly, but grinned good naturedly. "And what of you and John? You seem _quite_ pleased with the situation as well." Elizabeth merely smiled and ducked under the water, which was as good as a confession any day.

After their bath two young trainees brought them dresses in the same style as the one Penthisilea was wearing when they met her. Teyla smiled when Elizabeth tugged nervously at the hem, unused to wearing clothes that were so form fitting, or so short.

"John will be unable to look away." She assured her, very much at ease in her own revealing outfit.

They walked down a short hallway into the common dining area, where they met Penthisilea, who introduced them to many of the women warriors.

They chose to sit at a table with four other women. The tables were low to the ground, and large pillows were placed to allow the women to lay comfortably.

"After they bring out the food, our mates will join us." Penthisilea informed Elizabeth, who couldn't suppress a smile at the thought of John and Ronon bringing them food. Teyla's expression mirrored her own, and the woman across from them sighed.

"You must be very much in love with your mates, to smile so at just the thought of them." She murmured dreamily. Both Teyla and Elizabeth choked slightly on their drinks. "I am excited to see them, they must be quite handsome."

"In...what?" gasped out Elizabeth.

Teyla remained slightly more composed. "I am anxious to hear your thoughts on them as well." She confirmed, shooting Elizabeth a questioning glance.

"I won't mention it ever again if you won't." Elizabeth muttered under her breath. Teyla nodded in relief.

Suddenly, the woman across from them gasped. "By the stars," She murmured, "That is one gorgeous man." Teyla turned to see who she was referring to and nearly fell off the cushion. Apparently, the Amoza had followed through on the offer of clothing the men as well.

Ronon was wearing loose pants and no shirt, the firelight reflecting off every one of his well shaped muscles.

Elizabeth jabbed her sharply with an elbow. "Snap out of it Teyla, you are supposed to be used to that sight." She muttered. Teyla shook her head wryly.

"I am not sure that is something you can get used to." She glanced backwards again. This time, her eyes made it to his face. To an outsider, his expression would seem impassive, but Teyla could read him better than that. _I cannot believe you are making me do this_. She shrugged helplessly, but amusement danced in her eyes.

She turned to the woman across from her who was still staring, utterly transfixed. "That is Ronon." She commented, unable to hide the pride in her voice.

The woman recovered slightly, not bothering to lower her voice. "I am surprised you even leave your bed, then."

Teyla did not respond, although she heard Ronon's footsteps falter as he stumbled slightly. Beside her, Elizabeth suddenly whistled lowly.

Teyla turned to see that John had entered the hall in similar attire to Ronon. The women across from them eyed him appreciatively as well. "They truly do make men well wherever you come from." She commented.

It was Teyla's turn to nudge Elizabeth back to reality. By this time, most of the other mates had brought in food and laid it on the table. Teyla smiled in thanks as Ronon placed a plate before her. He gazed mournfully at her before turning automatically to steady John as he tripped while gaping at the dress Elizabeth wore.

Teyla smiled at her. "I told you so, my friend." Elizabeth blushed and looked down, murmuring her thanks as John set her plate before her.

Penthisilea clapped her hands briskly. "Please, join us." She invited, motioning Jacen to sit behind her. She reclined into his arms, and they both sighed in contentment. Around the table, the other couples mirrored their positions.

Teyla and Elizabeth exchanged quick glances. Teyla turned to Ronon, who was looking at her inquisitively. She nodded her permission and he tentatively drew her back against himself.

John and Elizabeth looked quite content all cuddled up and sharing the food on the plate, but Teyla mostly felt uncomfortable.

She held herself stiffly, unused to the amount of Ronon's skin she was pressed up against. He laughed lowly. "Relax. Eat. I know its your favorite."

To her surprise, it was. The fact that he had remembered what her favorite food made her feel much more comfortable, and she relaxed into his lazy embrace. She even laughed aloud when the second course turned out to be his favorite food instead of hers.

He laughed with her. "I was hungry, and you did force me into slavery." He whispered, too low for the other occupants of the table to hear. "You are lucky, Elizabeth is eating _all_ of John's favorite foods."

After dinner they retired to their quarters, which were astoundingly spacious. "How they managed to carve out the inside of a mountain and then make it feel roomy is something I will never understand," commented Elizabeth. John scowled at her.

"You know I'm writing you up as soon as we get home."

She laughed aloud. "For what? Turning you into a sex slave? That would get you fired just as fast. I get the feeling none of this will go on the official mission report."

He grimaced, knowing that she had him there. "I'm going to bed." he grumbled, clearly still in a foul mood.

She grinned cheekily at him, but he held up a hand to silence her. "_Without_ you. I swear, this job gets weirder everyday," He paused as he was walking by her. "Although, while we are not putting things into mission reports..." She gazed at him curiously. "I _really_ like that dress." he finished, brushing a brief kiss across her lips and disappearing into the next room.

Down the hall, Ronon and Teyla had decided to spar a bit before bed. Teyla was intensely pleased with how easily the dress allowed her to move, and had decided to see about getting one to take home. Ronon, too, was satisfied by how much easier it was to move without a bulky shirt in his way.

"I might have to see about keeping these clothes." He said, unconsciously speaking her thoughts aloud.

"I believe that many women would suddenly take up an interest in sparring." She commented laughingly, forgetting momentarily that there was no one observing them to see if they were acting like lovers.

He abruptly strode closer. "Like what you see?" His grin was teasing and confident. She merely smiled, apparently unaffected.

"Perhaps. Good night, Ronon." She turned and was gone. Ronon watched to door for several long seconds before a rare smile broke across his features.

Teyla and Elizabeth rose early to meet with Penthisilea to discuss trade agreements, then the four friends walked together towards the stargate.

As John began to dial up Atlantis, he paused. "Just so we are all clear, the official mission reports say..." Elizabeth drew herself up, instantly regaining the professionalism that was Dr. Wier.

"We made peaceful negotiations with the Amoza," She replied calmly.

Teyla shot John an innocent smile. "What else would it say?"

He shook his head in exasperation. "Rodney will never forgive himself for missing this. Not that he will find out."

Elizabeth stared at him in shock. "Not find out? But of course he will! The Atlantis rumor mill will let him know long before the mission reports are sent out. You didn't really think that we would let you live this down, did you?"

Reaching around him, she hit the last button to dial them home. Ronon and Teyla ducked through first, standing casually off to the side as a furious John chased a laughing Elizabeth into the control room.

Chuck stared at them in confusion, and Teyla and Ronon exchanged identical evil grins. "Didn't you hear?" Ronon asked him. "This past mission, Col. Sheppard had to pose as Dr. Wier's slave..."


	4. Chapter 4

Bullets whizzed through the trees and sank into the ground around them as the team ran for the gate. John cursed as he and Teyla were forced to dive behind (yet another) large tree. He motioned for her to cover him while he scanned the woods for McKay and Ronon.

There. A quick series of hand signals informed Teyla of the plan. She nodded, and they exploded into motion towards where Ronon was defending a small cave. They were almost there when Teyla fell with a sharp cry of pain.

John instantly turned back, sighing in relief as a quick scan showed that she had been shot in the leg as opposed to a more lethal area. He hauled her to her feet, and supported most of her weight as they staggered to the cave. Once inside, he leaned her gently against the wall.

"You okay?" Ronon asked without turning.

Teyla took a deep breath to steady her voice before responding. "I will be fine, but I doubt I will be able to walk." John cursed under his breath as he tore away the cloth on the wound to find copious amounts of blood.

"Dammit, the bullet grazed an artery. McKay! How far to the fate?" His voice was harsh, betraying the concern he felt.

Rodney shook his head. "I'd sat, about, oh, ten kilometers." Ronon growled something unintelligible and motioned at John impatiently.

"Right. We need a distraction then, she needs medical help as soon as possible, she is losing blood fast. Ronon, can you carry her and shoot?"

Ronon shook his head. "No. But we need to move_ now_. "

John sighed. "I was afraid of that. Rodney, you are with me. We will lead them south and then double back for the gate. If you get there before us, don't wait."

Ronon nodded. Rodney sighed in defeat. "Why do I always have to be the bait? I don't even have a gun!"

John grinned slightly. "Because, you run really really fast when people shoot at you."

From the ground beside him, Teyla handed up her P-90. "Take this. You will be able to use it more effectively than I."

Rodney looked amazed and then smiled worriedly down at her. "Thanks." Behind him, Ronon and John switched so that John was shooting cover for the cave. Ronon stepped inside and lifted Teyla effortlessly. His brow furrowed in concern.

"It will hurt pretty badly when I run." He warned.

Teyla nodded and smiled reassuringly. "The sooner we get to the gate, the less pain I will have in the long run. Do not slow on my account." Ronon nodded in approval, pulling his gun from its holster and hading it carefully to her.

"Here. If you get a clear shot, take it."

Dr. Elizabeth Wier looked up in surprise as the alarm on the gate went off. The only team off world was Col. Sheppard's, and they weren't due back for at least another six hours.

"Its Ronon's IDC." Warned Chuck, and she nodded quickly.

"Let him in."

Seconds after the shield dropped, Ronon ran through with a bloody and half unconscious Teyla in his arms.

"I need Carson and a med team to the gate room, right away! Its Teyla." She ordered, but Ronon shook his head.

"No time." He growled, taking off at a run again for the infirmary. Elizabeth's eyes widened and she tapped her ear piece swiftly.

"Never mind, Carson. Ronon is bring her to you." What had happened? She had rarely seen Ronon so close to the edge of his control. She turned anxiously to the now deactivated gate. "Come on, John, where are you?" She muttered anxiously.

She breathed a sigh of relief as the gate reactivated. "Let us through, we are coming in hot!" Yelled John. She nodded, and they ran through the gate with only a few shots making it after them before the shield shot up again.

She ran down the steps. "What happened?"

John shook his head. "Another planet that Ronon had visited, only this time, they had guns. Teyla?"

"Ronon took her straight to the infirmary, but she looked bad." Without another word, John took off for the infirmary, Rodney and Elizabeth only a few steps behind.

Ronon had reached the infirmary in record time, and set her gently on the bed Carson had already prepared. Her eyes fluttered open at the motion and she groaned quietly in pain, but her arm shot out to grip his shirt.

"Ronon." She whispered hoarsely.

He nodded. "I'm right here,Teyla. You have to let go so Carson can stop the bleeding."

She shook her head. "Ronon, look at me." She waited until he met her eyes. "This...is not your fault." She gasped, clearly pushing herself beyond even her limits of pain.

He met her gaze and nodded reluctantly, and she smiled slightly before her eyes rolled up and she fainted onto the bed.

"Doc!" He yelled, backing hastily away. Carson took his place by her bedside and immediately began to work.

When she woke, it was to the sound of Carson and Ronon arguing over whether or not Ronon had to leave the infirmary.

"You need your sleep, lad! Teyla will be fine. I'm the chief medical officer around here, I can stay with her." Carson's accent was thicker than usual, hinting towards his own exhaustion.

Ronon's low laugh conveyed absolutely no amusement. "I'm not going anywhere until she wakes up."

Teyla fought the urge to smile at their familiar argument, then frowned slightly. If Ronon was lurking around, it meant that he was still blaming himself for her injury. Sighing internally, she decided to put an end to their bickering.

She attempted to sit up, but a sudden stab of pain from her leg caused her to let out an involuntary cry.

Instantly, both Ronon and Carson were hovering over her, their faces anxious. "Hold on a moment, don't move." Ordered Carson, reaching to fiddle with button controlling the amount of pain medicine was flowing to the IV. "There, is that better?"

Teyla tried to sit up, more cautiously this time. "Much" She responded, "But I still feel...strangely weak."

Carson nodded. "I know, love. You lost quite a bit of blood, and had us all quite scared for awhile. It will take a few days before you feel normal again."

Teyla's brow furrowed in confusion. "I don't understand. I was only shot in the leg, it should not have been a serious wound."

"The shot hit an artery, and it took us a rather long time to get it sealed off again. If Ronon had gotten you here any later, it could have been fatal."

Behind him, Ronon's face became guarded and he took several quick steps backwards. Teyla noticed his reaction and shook her head.

"No. I told you, this was _not_ your fault. You heard Dr. Beckett, if you hadn't have been there I probably would have died."

Ronon scowled. "If I hadn't have been there, you wouldn't have been shot in the first place."

Teyla scowled right back, not in the mood for dealing with an issue she had hoped he had resolved after the whole Sateda incident. What ever Carson had given her for the pain was making her very tired. "Maybe not this time, but what about the time on MQR-449? Or when Rodney was bitten by that poisonous snake and John and I were unable to carry him? Were they your fault too?"

Ronon glared at her impassively. "Those were different."

"How? You are a part of this team, and you will not blame yourself for anything that happens to us. Is it my fault that those slavers tried to ambush us and take me captive?" Ronon was silent, unable to argue that point. She smiled triumphantly. "I owe you my thanks for getting me home quickly and _that is all_. Do not feel as though you have to stay here because my injury was your fault."

Ronon sighed, visibly relaxing. Carson smiled at how skillfully Teyla handled the situation that he had John had been working on all afternoon. "Right, now. You heard the lass, off to bed with you." He ordered, rubbing his head where a slight tension headache seemed to have taken up permanent residence.

Ronon calmly slid into the seat next to Teyla's bed and folded his arms stubbornly. "I'm not going anywhere. Get some sleep doc. You can fuss over me tomorrow." Carson stared at him for a moment before throwing up his arms in surrender.

"Fine! Thank you very much, I owe you one sometime. Good night, Teyla. You know how to get in touch with me if you need _anything_."

She smiled sleepily at the caring doctor. "I will be fine. Thank you for taking such good care of me."

As soon as he left, she turned towards Ronon. "It was very considerate of you for letting him get some well deserved rest, but you really do not have to stay with me. I am fine."

He laughed softly. "Go to sleep, Teyla. You need to concentrate on getting better, okay?" She nodded and allowed her eyes to finally drift shut. Just before she lost consciousness for the night, she could have sworn she heard him whisper something, but her fuzzy mind was unable to grasp the meaning.

"It wasn't guilt that kept me here all night. I really don't know what I would do without you here."

Just outside the infirmary door, Carson was having no such hearing problems. He heard the soft confession loud and clear, and smiled softly as his headache vanished. Perhaps he would have to let the poor boy stay with her more often.


	5. Chapter 5

Teyla eyed her opponent warily, gaging the set of his shoulders to surmise his next attack. Across the mat, Ronon watched her just as carefully. She spun towards him, bantos rods twirling gracefully. He parried and launched an attack of his own. Above their heads, their sticks met with a crash that echoed in the otherwise unoccupied gym. Teyla narrowed her eyes, quickly ducking away before it became a contest of strength.

"What is wrong?" She asked, easily dodging a swipe aimed at her stomach.

"She's afraid of me." He growled. Teyla took advantage of his momentary distraction and dealt him a sharp blow to his shoulder.

"She has no reason to be."

Ronon snorted, shaking out his shoulder before continuing. "Yeah, she hasn't even seen me fight. What happens when she does?"  
A few moments passed in silence as they traded hits. They relaxed into the familiar routine- by now they knew each others fighting style as well as their own. Eventually, Ronon brought both of his bantos rods onto her arm, forcing her to drop her own stick.

She retreated slightly, swirling her remaining weapon in her hand. "Why does it bother you if Dr. Keller is intimidated by you?"

He shook his dreds out of his face impatiently. "She reminds me of someone I used to know."

"Melena?"

He nodded, and Teyla fixed him with a stern glare. "You should remember that they are not the same person." She punctuated her reprimand with a swift jab to his stomach.

He clutched his side. "I _know_ that."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly disbelieving. "Have you ever had a conversation with Jennifer?" She asked innocently.

He glared. "We got locked in the infirmary, remember?"

A quick flick of her wrist sent one of his rods sailing. She paused, seeking his gaze. "Jennifer is a wonderful person, Ronon, but she is not Melena. Nor are you the man you were on Sateda. I do not wish to see either of you hurt."

He nodded briefly, realizing that she was only concerned and that she had a valid point. They began to spar again. After a few moments, she spoke again. "You should not be ashamed of how you are, Ronon. You are a good man. If she cannot see that you would never hurt someone you care about, perhaps she is not the one for you."

He grunted, clearly not willing to discuss it further and she conceded. Several minutes later, Ronon managed to to disarm her entirely. A swift motion and she found herself tumbling towards the floor.

Laughing slightly at the disgruntled look on her face, Ronon extended a hand to help her up.

She studied his features carefully and decided that she could risk one more question. "Why is it that you do not fear scaring me?" He stared at her incredulously, and she continued. "After all, I am the one you seem to enjoy throwing across the room."

He shrugged. "Easy. I hurt you, you hurt me back."

She tossed a quick smile up at him. "Maybe that should tell you something." She touched his shoulder briefly and walked out.

He stared after her, mystified. Sudden frustration flooded his body. Why were women so damn difficult? He decided to take a quick run in the hopes that it would help him sort out what she was talking about. He had only made it a couple of corridors before John jogged up, falling into place beside him.

"Hey, big guy. Whats up?"

Ronon scowled. "Teyla's saying things that don't make sense again."

John nodded in sympathy. "Yeah, I thought that might be it."

"Why do I get the feeling you know something I don't?"

John shrugged. "Beats me. What were you talking about?"

Ronon ran faster. "Keller. She's still terrified of me."

John tried to read his expression, but was pretty busy running (and had never been particularly good at reading people's faces anyway), so he quickly gave it up as a lost cause. "Well...she probably just doesn't know you well enough yet. I'm sure she will get over it soon."

Ronon nodded emphatically. "See? Now _that _ is what Teyla was supposed to say."

John laughed. "What did she say?"

"Maybe that should tell you something." He scowled suddenly, making as if to speed up again. John skidded to an abrupt halt. They were on the outer edges of the city by now, and he threw himself down onto the pier, panting. "Sit." He ordered breathlessly. Reluctantly, Ronon obeyed. "You want to explain what happened between those two statements?"

Ronon's scowl deepened. "Hell if I know. She said that Jennifer wasn't Melena, and that I shouldn't be ashamed of who I am...and..." He squinted, trying to remember if he was missing anything. "and then, she asked why I wasn't afraid of hurting her."

John's eyebrows shot up. "_That's_ when she said 'maybe that should tell you something'?"

Ronon nodded.

"Damn. I really thought I would win this one. Elizabeth will never let me hear the end of it."

John grinned suddenly. "You really don't know?"

Now Ronon was seriously annoyed. He began to climb to his feet, but John stuck out an arm to stop him. "No, I'll explain...just give me a second. You _really_ don't know?"

Ronon growled low in his throat, and John hastened to placate him.

"Okay. Let me start at the beginning... Teyla doesn't believe in trying to recreate old relationships. She thinks that you are only interested in Jennifer because she reminds you of Melena." Ronon started to protest, but John held up a hand. "No, trust me, she did the exact same thing to me. I was interested in someone who was very like my ex wife and Teyla took me to the gym, kicked my ass, and set me straight."

"But I'm not interested in Jennifer!" Ronon blurted. "I had already figured out that I was only pursuing her because she was so like Melena!"

John started, confused. "Really?"

"Yeah, apparently I'm not quite as stupid as you. Wait, who were you interested in?"

John blushed. "Well...uh...Teyla, but I had only known her for like a week. It kind of makes me cringe now. _Anyway_, about the rest of the conversation..." He paused, trying to think of how to phrase it. "So...aside from the whole Melena thing...she seems to think that Jennifer is not a good choice for you because she isn't comfortable with who you are, right? The fact that you enjoy fighting?"

Ronon nodded slowly.

"Therefore, it stands to reason that she was implying that you should be with someone who is comfortable with that aspect of your life." John looked ridiculously proud of his logic.

"So?"

John rolled his eyes, convinced that Ronon was being purposefully dense. (As it happens, he was right, but Ronon was only doing it because he was sure he could not possibly have come to the correct conclusion).

"So she basically said that you should be with her, which means that I owe Elizabeth a month's pay. Again." He shot a glance at Ronon to see how he was taking this revelation in time to see the slight smile that crossed his features. John grinned.

"Oh, okay then." Ronon said, ignoring the smug look on his friend's face. "I'll go find her now."

"You do that." John's grin didn't falter as he watched Ronon jog easily back towards the city. The moment he was out of sight, John hit his radio. "Rodney? Elizabeth? Meet me in my quarters in ten. I have some news..."


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay guys, I'll go ahead and warn you- there is little to no shipping in this particular chapter. Sorry about that. It started out quite shippy, but...it...mutated. Oops. Its also actually accurate with the ending of Season four. Thats new and different as well. I hope you enjoy!**

**Marie**

She had been having nightmares since they had rescued her. He didn't blame her, of course. Being held prisoner by Michael and guarded by the man she had loved, then losing her child... Ronon scowled into the darkness of his room, glaring at nothing.

She was refusing to talk about it. No, that wasn't right. She would talk about it, but she wasn't telling anyone how she really felt. The Lanteans might be fooled by her evasions, but he knew her better than that.

So did John and Rodney, to be fair, but he knew that she wouldn't confide in them. They were both still dealing with Elizabeth's loss, and she was too selfless to ask them for comfort. Ronon only wished he knew what he could do to help her feel better. He felt so useless, able only to watch as she shut them out. He knew from experience how much easier it was to build walls around raw emotions, but it was unusual for her and the strain was clearly taking its toll.

His door chime sounded, shaking him from his feelings of hopelessness. He felt a moment of alarm- it was never good news when people came to his door in the middle of the night.

He crossed to the door in three easy strides, waving a hand over the crystals. It hissed open to reveal the very woman he had been thinking of. He swallowed his surprise, instantly taking in her appearance. She held herself stiffly, looking ready to bolt at any moment, and refused to meet his eyes.

He didn't ask questions, just stepped back to allow her entrance into the room. Her normal confidence was completely gone, replaced by unrelenting pain.

"I...My heart hurts." Her voice was hesitant as she tried to explain why she was standing at his door in the middle of the night.

He didn't pause. A tan arm shot across the short distance and tugged her towards him. "Teyla." He urged softly, when she didn't move.

She resisted another moment before allowing him to draw her into his arms. She hid her face in his shirt, inhaling his familiar scent and allowing it to soothe her. She leaned gratefully into the warmth of his body, allowing him to support her weight almost entirely. Her eyes slid closed against the tears she held back.

"Sorry." She mumbled almost incoherently, feeling freedom from loneliness for the first time in what felt like years.

"Nothing to be sorry for." He assured her. He frowned briefly in concern at how exhausted she was.

She exhaled harshly against his neck.

"Yes. Made...worry." She managed, struggling to open her eyes. Now that they had closed, they didn't want to rise again.

He simply pulled her closer and scooped her up bridal style. "Just rest, Teyla." She shook her head weakly, but her breathing was already slowing down. Long before they reached the bed she had drifted to sleep against his chest.

He frowned again at the ease which slumber had overtaken her. Apparently, she had been getting even less sleep than he thought. He lay her gently across his bed, tugging his blankets up over her shoulders before standing again.

He ran his eyes across her familiar features, peaceful for the first time since she had been rescued. The dark shadows under her eyes were much more pronounced in the dim lighting- or she had been using makeup to cover them up during the day. Or both.

Another few steps and he had located his radio. He slipped it on quickly.

"Sheppard, McKay. Meet me outside my quarters now."

* * *

They arrived in various states of disarray. Sheppard had haphazardly tucked his pajama shirt into his BDUs, and Rodney had apparently not made it to bed yet judging on the fact that he was still fully dressed and holding a half drunk cup of coffee. Ronon noted with amused approval that they had both taken the time to grab their guns and thigh holsters.

"Whats the problem?" John demanded, looking understandably confused at the lack of smoke and screaming and dying going on. Midnight calls usually involved all three.

Ronon shushed him, tilting his head towards his room. "Teyla." He mouthed. Both John and Rodney looked at him in surprise. Ronon promptly scowled at them. "Not like _that_. She hasn't been sleeping. Showed up about ten minutes ago crying and fell asleep almost immediately after."

Their expressions melted instantly into concern, and he nodded in satisfaction. "Better. Now, here is what I think we need to do..."

* * *

Thirteen hours later, Teyla woke from the first dreamless sleep she had gotten in months. She rolled over sleepily, only to discover that the pillow she was curled up on was unfamiliarly soft. Her brow creased in confusion. Why did her bed smell like...Ronon? She reluctantly opened one eye. Grinning at her from less than a foot away was Colonel Sheppard.

She shot upright, eyes wide. What the hell? A quick glance around the room only confused her befuddled mind farther. Apparently, the bed had smelled like Ronon because it was, in fact, Ronon's bed. She nodded to herself. Okay, that made sense, he must have put her here after she fell asleep. So... why was John there?

She turned a quizzical stare on her team mate. He shrugged. "I was going to see if you were awake. Apparently, you are."

"This is Ronon's room." She pointed out. Her face suddenly darkened as her mind reminded her of why she was sleeping in Ronon's bed to begin with. Blistering pain, forgotten temporarily in sleep, blossomed anew in her chest.

John noticed her distress. "Oh, yeah, well- you know. We thought it would be fun to have a sleepover." He shot her his best silly grin, and despite herself her lips twitched ever so slightly.

When John had explained _that _particular Earth concept to them, Ronon's exact words had been "Why fight with pillows? They can't even hurt anyone."

Rodney's head popped over the top of the couch. "Oh, haha Colonel. I'll have you know that he actually did attack me with a pillow once and it hurt quite a lot. Morning, Teyla!"

Teyla stared at him in surprise before beginning a more thorough examination of the room. "Does Ronon know you are in here?" She asked, deciding that there was no where else for someone to hide in the sparsely decorated room.

Rodney nodded. "Yeah, he just ran out to get us some food. We, uh, I mean- _Sam_ decided that today was going to be a team bonding day, something about John and I fighting too much and scaring the locals." His gaze shifted ever so slightly to the left of her face, a dead give away that he was lying.

Teyla felt completely overwhelmed. Obviously, Ronon had filled them in on the events of last night, and they were showing their support the only way they knew how. She resolutely held back her tears, knowing that neither John nor Rodney were comfortable when she cried. "Thank you." She managed. She was proud of how steady her voice was.

Ronon's entrance was a welcome distraction. He glared instantly at John. "Did you wake her up?"

He shook his head, making a placating gesture. "No, she woke up on her own."

Rodney rolled his eyes, snatching eagerly at the food on the tray Ronon held. "Protective much? Hey! I wanted _blue_ jello, not red! And...is there lemon on that sandwich?"

John shot him an exasperated look. "Don't be stupid, who puts citrus on a sandwich?"  
Ignoring their bickering, Ronon sent a smile towards Teyla as she scooted over to make room for him on the bed.

"Sleep well?"

She blushed slightly, still embarrassed by the weakness she had shown. "Yes, thank you. I didn't even dream."

He grinned. "Good." He slapped swiftly at John's hand as John tried to steal his cake. "Thats mine, steal McKay's. He doesn't need it anyway."

Teyla observed her team's familiar arguing carefully, drinking in the feeling of not being alone. In her pain, she had almost forgotten the good things in her life. She still had her family, whether they were related by blood or not.

As if to reassure her that she was not being ignored, Ronon slid an arm around her shoulders, pulling her more securely up against his body. John and Rodney immediately shifted their own positions on the bed towards her, as if seeing her weak and needing their support was the most normal thing in the world.

She hated it when people made a fuss over her sadness, and had since she was a child. However, being here with her team, she didn't feel the stifling awkwardness such situations always seemed to produce. Her friend's soothing voices lulled her into a place where she could think about what she had lost without the crushing loneliness smothering her.

When the first few tears slipped down her cheeks the conversation continued without pause, but she felt Rodney's fingers twine around her own and squeeze gently. Across the circle, John swallowed the urge to tease him about his kind gesture and handed her a tissue as he opted to mock Rodney's weight instead.

Ronon merely held her closer, and when she was all cried out she drifted off to sleep once more.

The next time she woke, she was once again wrapped comfortably in Ronon's blankets. She sat up slowly as a slight smile tugged at her lips. John and Rodney were sprawled across their sleeping bags on the floor fast asleep. As she watched, Rodney sighed and muttered something unintelligible. At the sound of his voice, John frowned and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like 'obnoxious', also still deeply asleep. Teyla had witnessed them sleep talking several times before, but was consistently amazed by the phenomenon. They would have entire conversations (well, okay, arguments) without either of them waking.

She peered towards the couch to find Ronon awake and watching her. She waved him over.

His laugh rumbled softly in the room as he sat on the edge of his bed. "Entertaining, aren't they?"

Teyla merely nodded, reaching over to touch the back of his hand. "Thank you, Ronon. For everything."

He grew instantly serious. "I know what its like to lose people you love. Just remember to let us help you, okay?" He flipped his hand, capturing her fingers before she could pull back.

She nodded. "I'm not...ready to talk about it, yet, I don't think." She knew that she would be, one day, but...

Ronon merely nodded and raised their joined hands in a reminder that he would still be there when she was ready to talk. For the first time her smile appeared freely, without pain.

As usual, he already understood.

**Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Enjoy!**

**Marie**

The three men were left kneeling in an empty room, hands secured above their heads by chains attached to the ceiling. Naturally, there were no windows and the door was bolted from the outside.

"Well isn't this just lovely." Rodney's voice was more weary than frightened as he reflected on how miserable his life had become. He was no longer surprised when these things happened, they were more a part of life. Never the less, he had a reputation to protect... "I always wanted to die in a..."

"Shut up, McKay." John twisted his body to the left until he could see where Ronon was restrained. "Where's Teyla?"

Ronon merely nodded towards where the door was sliding silently inward. Teyla slipped noiselessly inside and shut it carefully behind her. She shot them all warning looks as McKay opened his mouth to say something, pressing a finger to her lips. Crossing the room swiftly, she examined the handcuffs around Rodney's wrists.

Regretfully, she shook her head. "I do not believe I can pick this lock, it appears to require several keys." She whispered, checking John and Ronon's chains on the off chance that for some reason their captors had seen it necessary to give Rodney the strongest restraints.

They had not.

John raised an eyebrow. "I think the bad guys are getting smarter." He muttered grumpily, not at all excited that Teyla was having to rescue them.

Teyla ignored him completely. "I believe they are expecting some sort of rescue attempt, and I do not think I can get to your weapons without first retrieving the keys. Do you know how many men there are? I counted twelve."

"Thirteen." corrected Ronon.

"You aren't thinking of trying to take out thirteen men by yourself, are you? Because that sounds like a very bad plan..." began Rodney.

"I think she is." John informed him, a hint of awe in his voice.

Teyla simply shot him a look. "I do not have a choice, it would take far too long to return to Atlantis and organize a rescue from there. I will be fine, they do not expect an attack from within. Although... I will try and keep at least a few of them alive for questioning."

Ronon nodded in approval. Rodney groaned.

Teyla knelt beside Ronon and reached for his wrist guards, deftly extracting a few of the larger knives and sliding them into her own sheaths.

"I had to use a few of mine to get in, and the P-90 causes too much noise" She explained, pushing his pant leg up far enough to get at the knives in his boots and strapped to his calves.

John raised an eyebrow at the familiarity she was displaying and smirked as she reached behind Ronon for the knife he kept hidden under his belt.

When she felt that she was properly armed, she stood. "This won't take long."

* * *

The second that she left, John turned to Ronon. "What the hell was that?"

He was met by a level stare. "What?"

"You said that you would kill me if I ever so much as _touched_ your knives, how come Teyla gets to _use_ them?" He couldn't help the slight whine in his tone.

"You sound like McKay."

"Hey! I resent that!" Rodney protested.

Ronon ignored them both as the conversation devolved into a bickering match. He allowed his attention to drift, straining to hear anything that would tell him what was happening outside their room.

Eventually, Sheppard got bored of arguing with McKay and turned his attention back to Ronon.

Careful to keep the whine out of his tone, he asked the question again.

Ronon sighed impatiently. "Because she is."

It was Rodney's turn to roll his eyes. "Oh yes, very illuminating. Because she is. Anyway, how did she even know where all of your knives were hidden?"

"That's a good point. Don't you change where they are hidden a lot?"

Ronon realized belatedly that this was going down a bad path. "Some of them. Its not that hard to figure it out."

John snorted. "It didn't really look like she was trying to guess. It _looked_ like she knew. As in knew before hand. As in, before we got here. _Probably_ before we left Atlantis."

"So?" He winced internally. Teyla was going to kill him.

Okay, so yeah she did know where all of his knives were, but that was only because she had seen him put them all on this morning.

And _that_ was only because she had been in his room when he got ready.

Because she had fallen asleep there last night.

Which wasn't actually that uncommon.

Which was kind of what he was trying to avoid mentioning.

Damn.

Some of his discomfort must have shown on his face, because Sheppard's grin widened. "There is defiantly a story there." He caroled, reveling in the fact that Ronon couldn't currently hit him for prying.

"I can hit you when we get out, you know." Ronon reminded him, and the interrogation was (for the moment, at least) brought to a halt.

Fifteen minutes later, a slightly disheveled Teyla reappeared in the doorway and shoved a filthy man to the ground. "Stay." She ordered, casually shooting him in the chest with Ronon's gun.

John raised an eyebrow.

"Its on stun." She promised, swiftly unlocking his restraints. Rodney was next, and she endured his complaints with her usual patience.

Once she untied Ronon he climbed swiftly to his feet and stretched, face expectant. She rolled her eyes at his expression and wordlessly handed his weapons back. He inspected them carefully, please to note that she had cleaned them off.

"Good work." He complimented, idly rubbing at where his wrists were chafed from pulling on his restraints. She eyed his wounds and handed him the balm she carried for just such occasions as these.

"Next time, when I tell you that there is some one following us, you should listen." She teased softly.

He smirked. "But then when would you get to rescue us?"

"I am sure that I would still have plenty of opportunities."

John appeared next to them, grinning. "Hey, Teyla, how come Ronon lets you touch his knives?"

She merely raised an eyebrow at Ronon, who shrugged. "I didn't say anything." He defended.

She glared reprovingly at the other two members of her team. "Because I do not attempt to play games such as 'pin the tail on the donkey' with them. Not do I throw them at members of the science team, no matter how annoying they get." John ducked his head, blushing slightly.

Rodney glowered, cupping a hand protectively over a thin scar on his left arm.

Teyla and Ronon exchanged an amused glance as this set off yet another round of arguing. "You know, we will have to tell them sooner or later." Ronon whispered, pressing a gentle hand to the small of her back.

Ever so slightly, Teyla leaned into his caress. "Mmm hmm."

They straightened as John glanced in their direction, innocent smiles on both of their faces.

**Thanks for reading!**


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